Microscopic Stories

Prometheus Unbound

Prometheus Unbound

Prometheus lost count of the the number of times his liver was eaten by the eagle, only to regrow during the following night. That is, until one bright dawn when the eagle failed to arrive.

With intact liver, Prometheus regained his strength and was able to break the chains, rusted as they were from the ages. He began his descent from the mountain.

On the way, he came across an encampment of hunters. They had found a dead eagle and were roasting it over a fire. Prometheus begged a share and died with the hunters from massive vitamin A toxicity.


Word count: 100
For The Micro-Fiction Challenge, Week 7
Prompt: Fire
Notes: In Ancient Greek mythology, Prometheus stole fire from the gods and brought it to humanity. For this crime, the gods chained him to a mountain where an eagle ate his liver every morning. The liver regrew each night only to be consumed again the next day. Liver causes vitamin A toxicity if eaten in too great a quantity. The eagle’s flesh must have been riddled with it after all that liver it had eaten.